Direction finder system



Nov. 18, 1958 J. JfB. LAIR 2,861,264

DIRECTION FINDER SYSTEM Filed April 12, 1955 METER 9 c b fc/PkacAr/Ne La g: -Mg. 33 MECH COUPLED IIL/ @panal-nsw REC. JINE 40 mi E/vvfwpf GE Merc-'R37 En 5 i canmmrok y INVENTOR JUL/EN J. B. LA/R ATTORNEY r' 2,861,264 i* f Paiented Nov. "18, 1958 DIRECTION FINDER SYSTEM Julien J. B. Lair, Glen Ridge, N. J., assignor to International Telephone and Telegraph Corporation, Nutley, N. J., a corporation of Maryland Application April 12,1955, serial No. 500,742

ls claims. (ci. 34a-113) This invention relates to direction finder systems and more particularly to a direction finder system utilizing th doppler principle.

. In accordance with the doppler principle, an electromagnetic Wave receiver detects an apparent change of frequency of received wave `dependentupon a change of relative velocity between the source of waves and the receiving device. As the receiver is moved `toward the source, the doppler frequency `increases andrconversely the doppler frequency decreases as thedistance between the `source and receiving locations increases. The doppler phenomenon has in the past been utilized in determining the direction of a source of radio frequency signals in systems where a vertical dipole or other type of antenna was mountedon a support and rotated in the horizontal plane at a constant rate. a large number of dilferently phased incoming wave fronts during each revolution andthe relative phase of the`carrier signal which was induced in the antenna increased and decreased -asthe antenna moved around theperiphery of the circle ofirotation and thus away from and toward the source 'of signals. In other words, the rate of frequency change or the change in doppler frequencyfwasY at a maximum'when the antenna moved in a direction parallel tov the incoming Wave direction and was-at a minimum lwhen the lantenna was moved perpendicularly to the direction of the incoming wave. The azimuth and sense of the incoming wave could then be determined by.

detecting the maximum doppler frequency or the minimum doppler frequency. Obviously, direction nding systems which required the pickup devices' or antennas to be rotated through 360? and yet which utilized the signals for direction nding purposes only during that portion of time when the antenna was moving perpendicnlarly or parallel to the incoming wave front were essentially useless during thelgreatestpor-tion of time and thus operated at` a low efliciency.

Oneof the objects of this invention, therefore, is to provide a direction finder system particularly useful at very high frequencies with a highdegree of eiciency. VAnother object of this invention is to provide aV direction ndersystem which is not dependentupon a sense antenna or the equivalent thereof.

A'further object of this invention is to provide a direc? signal in a `comparatc'l'rrcircuitwhich` only compares sig-4 to yield` an indication of.

nalsv of like phase and frequency the doppler energy.

The rotating antenna traversed Vreceiver Zifor detection.

In another embodiment of my invention, a combination, vibrating land rotating differentialv direction flnder system is used in'wliich a pair of antennas vibrating in opposite-'direction have their'V induced signals subtracted one from the other and coupled to a receiver and the doppler envelope wave ofthe received signal is detected to yield the azimuthiindication ofthe source of signals fromfthe receiver. -1

The above mentioned and other features and objects of thisinvention will become more apparent by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings; in which, i

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagramrin block form of one embodiment of the direction finding system of myinvention utilizing a reciprocating antenna;`

Fig. 2 is a Vschematic illustration of the relative tion of the antenna means shown in Fig. 1; I

Fig. 3 is a vector diagram helpful in the analysis of the operation of my invention;

Fig. 4 is a schematic circuit diagram partly in block form of one comparator device'useful in cooperation with thedirection finding system of my invention;

Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram in block form of acombination reciprocating and rotating antenna differential direction nder system in accordance with my invention; and,

Fig, 6 is a system of curves helpful in the explanatio of the directiontnderY system shown in Fig. 5. Y j i Referring rto Fig. 1 of the drawings, a'direction finder in accordance with the principles of my invention is shown to comprise anantenna 1 and the signals induced in the antenna 1 arecoupld to a radio frequency (IL-F.) The output of the-R.F. receiver 2 is coupled to the intermediate frequency `stage 3. in accordance with wellknown radio principles. The output of the I.'F. stage 3 Ais coupled to the usual type frequency discriminator circuit 4, the output of which comprises energy at the .doppler frequency which is" coupled to thecomparator circuit 5. The antenna 1 is mounted upon a reciprocating mechanism 6 which causes it to move with a periodic and harmonic motion causing it to move to and fro along aV given linear axis in acfk cordance with sine law principles. T he reciprocating mechanism 6 is mounted on rotating means 7 which allows the linear axis of harmonic motion imparted to antenna mechanism generatesl afre'ference wave of sinusoidal characteristics which is coupledto theY comparatorY 5. The comparator 5 detects the maximum doppler energy when the reciprocating motion of the antenna 1 is in line with thepsourceof signals ,and will yield a minimum signal lwhen the reciprocating axis is at right angles to a source The output of the comparator 5 is coupled p of signals. to a meter 9 to indicate the magnitude of doppler energy.A

A schematic illustration of the antenna motion is shown in Fig. 2. The antenna is located at the hub 1'0 of the motion patternl and is caused to reciprocate along a linear axis or radial 11. The azimuth direction of the linear motion 11 may be varied due to the motion imparted by the rotor 7 and indicated by arrow 12. Thusthe total antenna motion comprises a reciprocating movement 11 in conjunction with a rotary movement indicated by arazimuth directions. H

The doppler elect www12 and in the total yields a plurality of radii inV all I is best illustrated by considering receiving antenna or detector moving with avelocity v` in the iield of propagation of a transmitted wave having'V frequency Foi The frequency' of the receiver 'signall FR i detected by the moving antenna would be equal to:

E FR-F( 1 +rV 1) are: FR Foe Referring toiFigV 3*,AAletfitube,assumedtliat an antenna 13 is'moving'back` 4a'ndfortljim whena reciprocating mo tion in a harmonic 4manne-r ism'applied to it, `between two extreme points 14 and 1 A5.` v'l\`l1 e total distance moved will beequal toy twice the distarwe between mintsY 14 and v15 or 2A and let it be assumed that thenfrequency of the antenna 13 is equal to N. Thus it ymay b efstated that the equation `of movement of the antenna 13 is yr-'A sin 2 Nl (2) and that thevelocity'is equal to v==ArNx @0s 25m (3) IFR=F0 1+ 1rN eos V1rNt cos a) (5) and the doppler frequency is equal to: Y

AF- FR' F0 ='F0 A2WN cos fvr'NtXcos a) (6) As will be readily understoodY those .skilled in thisart, the maximum doppler frequency will exist when angleV Vor` equals zero and the dreciprocating motion of the antenna is" parallel with thedirection ofthe incoming wave. The maximum doppler frequency also exists when the v @es 21rNi=ii ('7) and Ythus maximized doppler frequency is' equal to:

Ariinlv) 8 Obviously, the doppler frequencyV will Abe smalland can be detected inv a frequency discriminator which has a bandwithcoveringthe possible variations of the carrierk frequency vF5. A frequency filter following the'frequency discriminator is desirable to reduce the` bandwith to the doppler'frequency in order to improve the signal to noise ratio..V

l WhenV the'angle ne is 90", or in .other words the axis of reciprocation' is perpendicular to ,theV 4axis of the incoming. signals, there'is no doppler frequency. Howeveig the value of the-doppler' frequency isfproportional toV cosa and the maximum sensitivity tol determine the direction ofV the/incoming kwave will exist around the' minimumfofV the doppler effect when the a equal 90. Ob-

viously, any system which utilizes a singleloopordipole to getthedirection of the incoming wave' either manually oriauztom'atica-lly can also be utilized With rCPfCat' ing antenna to get animproved result.

e It can be observedth'at/ Equation 6 can be written as:

AFi-'VLKDF i where KD is the doppler coefficient which for a vibrating antenna is equal to:

n AN21r cos 21rNtXcos a KD V (10) and when cos 21rNt cos a=1 (1l) the doppler coefficient maximum is:

211AN [iD- V (12) The value of the doppler coetiicient is limited in practice by the maximum value which can be mechanically obtained for the product A XN which is equal to the amplitude of vibration, times the rate of vibration. vFor any given antenna lit may be" advantageous vto increasev the amplitude or distance of vibration and decrease the rate" of vibration in order to get a maximum AXN product', while for short wave lengthsl it may be easier to decrease the distance and increase the frequency. Y Referringto Fig. 4 of the invention, one type 'of comparator which may be utilized with a `direction finder system inv accordance with theprinciples of my invention is therein shown to comprise a two phase motor in which the reference signal generated in response to the reciprocating mechanism in sine wave -generatorff8 is coupled over line 20 to a stator or viield` winding 21. lObviously, the sine wave generator 8 should be so related to the reciprocating energy imparted by mechanism 6 as to be in quadrature relation with harmonic motion of the antenna or, in other words, 90 out of phase. The doppler energy detected by frequency discriminator 4 s coupled over line 22 to'the other tield winding' 23 of a two phase motor in the comparator. The voltages in' duced in the stator 24 cause it to rotate and Athe stator 24 is mechanically coupled viamechanical' linkage 25 toV thedrag cup 26 of the tachometer Ywhich s rotated.V

Providing a source of voltage iscoupled to one field coil` 27 of the tachometer a voltage is induced in fieldvcoil 28 which is proportional tothe speed of rotation in the rotor` 24. This voltage may be detected by a voltmeter 29 whose indication would be proportional to the speed of rotation in the rotor 24. Since the reference signal coupled to the stator windingv 21 is of constant frequency, only signals of equal frequency' coupled to the field winding 23 will cause rotation of the rotor 24, In addition,

since Athe reference: signal is generated in the response tothe reciprocating motion mechanism, the: doppler frequency signals are locked in phase with the reference signal. Since frequency and phase are constant, the onlyavarriable affecting the speed of rotation of the rotorr 24 would be the amplitude of the doppler energy which is maximum when the axis of reciprocation is in line with the axis of the incoming wave. Thus it is seen that only signals having Vthesame frequency as the doppler frequency can effect the reading or the determination derived from this direction finder ysystem Iand in effect the com-parator circuit functions as'a frequency lter to eliminate all noise and to separate the doppler energy and be Vresponsive only to the doppler energy.

As will be readily understood by those skilled in the electronic art, there are many comparator circuits, particularly phase comparators, which will yield an equivalent output indicative of amplitude when the input signals comprising areference'signal of given frequency phase and amplitude and a vsignal whose amplitude is to be measured but which is'locled in phase with the reference signal and is'lof the s arne frequency even though extraneous signals Y `'pair of dipole antennas 30 and 31 are mechanically mounted in such a manner as to reciprocate or vibrate in opposite directions and, in other words, 180 out of phase. The pair of antennas can also be rotated about 360 of azimuth in accordance with the principles explained in the description of Fig. 1. The signals induced in the antennas 30 and 31 are coupled to a receiver 34 over lines 32 and 33 in a diiferential manner so that they are subtracted one from the other. The output of the receiver 34 is coupled to envelope detector 3S whose output comprises the energy at the diiferential doppler frequency and is coupled to a comparator 36 whose output is indicated on a meter 37.

Referring to Fig. 6 and assuming that the antennas 30 and 31 are both oscillating along an axis in line with the axis of the incoming wave having frequency F0 as shown in curve B, the frequency induced in the antenna 30 moving toward the source of signals will be greater as indicated by curve A and the frequency of the signal induced in the antenna 31 moving away from the source of signals will be less than F0 as shown in curve C. As heretofore explained, the frequencies of the signals induced in antenna 30 is FHM: F0 1+A21rN (33S 21rN (13) and that induced in antenna 31 is FR31=F0 1 A2/FN (I3/(2S ZWN) (14) Since the outputs of two antennas are coupled in opposition, the signals induced or the signals detected in the receiver 34 would be equal to (AZ'JI'N ($5 27TN) (15) Referring to curve D of Fig. 6, it is seen that the receiver 34 detected a signal in which the carrier has the frequency F0 and has an envelope modulation equal to twice the original amplitude. Since in most cases the doppler frequency is extremely small, it is far easier to detect a signal at twice the amplitude.

While I have described above the principles of my invention in connection with specific apparatus, it is to be clearly understood that this description is made only by way of example and not as a limitation to the scope of my invention as set forth in the objects thereof and in the accompanying claims.

I claim:

l. A direction finding receiver system for determining the direction of arrival of a signal wave comprising an antenna, a receiver coupled thereto, means for causing said antenna to move in a harmonic manner along a predetermined linear axis, means to rotate said antenna while said antenna is moving in said harmonic manner, frequency discriminator means coupled to said receiver for detecting the doppler frequency energy of the receiver output due to the movement of said antenna and comparator means coupled to said frequency discriminator means for indicating the magnitude of said doppler energy.

2. In a direction finding system means for receiving electromagnetic wave energy at a point which is periodically and harmonically moving along a predetermined linear axis relative to the source of said electromagnetic wave energy, means to detect the doppler frequency energy due to the movement of said receiving means, means to generate a reference signal ofpredetermined amplitude responsive to the harmonic movement of said receiving means, means to compare doppler energy having a period equal to the period of movement of said antenna with said reference signal to yield an indication of doppler energy magnitude and rotatable means to vary the azimuthal direction of said linear axis to obtain the maximum output of said comparison means.

3. A direction finding receiver system for determining the direction of arrival of electromagnetic wave signals comprising iirst and second antenna means, means to move each of said antenna means periodically and harmonically along predetermined linear axis relative to the source of said electromagnetic wave signals, the

' movement of said first and second antennas being in opposite directions, means for generating a reference .wave relative to said harmonic movement, receiver means to subtract and detect from each other the signals received by said antennas, and means to detect the envelope wave signal output of said receiver means and means to determine the magnitude of the energy content of said envelope wave relative to said reference wave.

4. A direction finding receiver system for determining the direction of arrival of electromagnetic wave signals comprising a first and second dipole antennas, a receiver, means to couple the signals induced in each of said dipoles to said receiver, means to move each of said antenna means periodically and harmonically Valong predetermined linear axis relative to the source of said electromagnetic Wave signals, the movement of said iirst and second antennas being in opposite directions, means for generating a reference wave relative to said harmonic movement, means to detect the envelope wave modulation in the output of said receiver due to the movement of said first and second dipole antennas and means to determine the magnitude of the energy content of said envelope wave relative to said reference signal.

5. A direction finding receiver system for determining the direction of arrival of electromagnetic wave signals comprising a first and second dipole antennas, a receiver, means to couple the signals received by each of said dipoles to said receiver, means to move each of said antenna means periodically and harmonically along predetermined linear axis relative to the source of said electromagnetic wave signals, the movement of said rst and second antennas being in opposite directions, means for generating a reference wave relative to said harmonic movement, means to detect the envelope wave modulation in the output of said receiver due to the movement of said iirst and second dipole antennas, means to determine the magnitude of the energy content of said envelope wave relative to said reference signal and means to vary the azimuthal direction of said linear axis.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,411,518 Busignies Nov. 26, 1946 2,412,631 RiceV Dec. 17, 1946 2,414,798 Budenbom Jan. 28, 1947 2,481,509 Hansel Sept. 13, 1949 

